From the folks who brought us the fantastic
rejuvenation treatment for digital discs known as Auric Illuminator comes
another fine, musical product—the Audience powerChord. The powerChord ($449 for
a six-foot length) is made of multi-stranded copper wire. It is extremely
flexible, making it easy to deal with in the limited space behind an equipment
rack. Unlike many power cords, the Audience cord is unshielded, and the
insulation used is low-dielectric. It is wrapped in vinyl mesh and terminated
with a Marinco plug on one end and a Wattgate IEC socket on the other. It is
devoid of shielding because a shield can absorb energy and release it back into
the cable. While this makes sense in theory, the truth is always revealed during
listening. What did my listening reveal? Hallelujah, glorious music!

Unlike some power cords that dazzle with detail that
just won't quit, or others that draw attention with bass so overdone that it can
clear clogged sinuses, the powerChord does not do any one thing spectacularly
well. What it does, with graceful and accomplished aplomb, is allow each note to
flow with ease and musicality.

Audience President John McDonald and designer
Richard Smith loaded me up with enough powerChords to completely outfit my
system. I first attacked the weakest link, the stock power cord on my Rowland
Model 10 amplifier. With the first powerChord in place, backgrounds were
noticeably blacker. Bass was more extended and articulated. Highs had greater
clarity, and texture increased throughout the midrange. Dynamics were also
better, but there was something else that I could not immediately place my
finger upon. I continued to play music until it dawned on me that the pace and
rhythm was more relaxed, allowing the music to flow.

Impressed with what I heard from the addition of one
powerChord, I replaced the cord on my Aragon Aurum preamp. I was greeted with
similar improvements, but the effect was heightened. I forged ahead, and
replaced the cord on the CD transport. I was already using the excellent
Eichmann eXpress6 series 2 cord in that position, so the improvements were not
dramatic, but by then, the overall presentation was quite different. The
Eichmann delivers detail and speed, while the Audience relaxes the pace. With
the powerChords, I found myself getting lost in the music instead of getting
caught up in its details.

I installed the final powerChord on my Perpetual
Tech P-3/A digital-to-analog converter, and the music suddenly turned to mush.
That wonderfully relaxed pace and timing slowed to molasses, and everything
sounded sluggish and constricted. When I mentioned this to Richard Smith, he was
surprised, but my comments got him thinking. A few weeks later, Richard asked me
to try a new powerChord that he had specifically designed for digital
applications. The new powerChord was the same as the old one, with the addition
of filters at both ends. With the new cord powering the DAC, the pace, rhythm,
and timing returned.

I listen critically to every piece of equipment I
place in my system, and the powerChord is the only one that has made me forget
about the details and let the music take me along for the ride. If you are
looking for a power cord that accentuates a specific part of the frequency
range, the powerChord may not be for you, but if you are looking for the
low-hanging-fruit type of upgrade that will bring out the seductive qualities of
music, you must hear the Audience powerChord. You, too, might find yourself
jumping up and exclaiming, "Hallelujah, glorious music!" Fown-Ming Tien